Apparently I'm a Racist!

tailwindhome

Didn't think I was but apparently I am.

Just spent 10mins on the phone dealing with a call centre worker who initially tried to confirm my surname. His accent was so thick I thought the name he said was mine and said yes.

Turns out it was someone else. Was our call centre worker accepting this. No.

When I eventually came off the phone I let fly with geographically suspect derogatory terms which would have made Bernand Manning blush.

UndercoverElephant

I can't tolerate intolerance in any form. You're a bad man who should be forced to live in Commuting General to think about what you've done.

I did used to think that I was racist: I grew up in a small, Northern town and only knew one Asian kid and I thought he was a git. As an older, wiser, man of the world, I have met many people of different creeds and colours whom I like very much, but he's still a git.

clarkey cat

Silly Commuter Racism?



Whats your FCN?

tailwindhome

UndercoverElephant wrote:

You're a bad man who should be forced to live in Commuting General to think about what you've done.

Harsh!

I was thinking of a period of reflection reading the posts of Rick Chasey.

rick_chasey

TailWindHome wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

You're a bad man who should be forced to live in Commuting General to think about what you've done.

Harsh!

I was thinking of a period of reflection reading the posts of Rick Chasey.

That's not punishment.

That's bliss mixed with ecstasy.

DonDaddyD

I don't care, I f*cking hate calling India. I got no problems with Indians, some of my best mates are Indian and I love the food. But when I make these phonecalls, Lloyds TSB you dicks, I don't do so for my pleasure. I am usually stressed and annoyed and the last thing I want is the additional stress of struggling to understand and be understood and no it isn't because of what is being said it is literally born out of unfamiliarity with the accents.

Not least of which that call centre could be based here and help reduce unemployment and help improve the quality of the service.

Furthermore there is a locality issue. A person based here may understand the plight and pressure people here are under just a tiny bit more than a person a few 1000 miles away. Even if the bank charge stands it means a lot when the bloke with the burly Northern accent says "I understand mate, I'm really sorry I know my Dad/Mate/Mum/Girlfriend is in the same situation it's a killer but there is nothing I can do" (or words to those effects) than the scripted robot several thousand miles aware who prounouces my last name White-Hall or Whitley (my last name is an actual word in the English dictionary) despite repeatedly telling him it ain't that. It adds a human element, I'm not alone, someone gets me and has sympathy.

And no this doesn't just apply to India, I hate calling my local Chinese Takeaway. Not only do I struggle to understand him, culturally Chinese people tend to do things 3times faster than Brits and/or express politeness in different ways. So I could be thinking in my mind if I want anything else and this guy is saying bye to me and about to hang up the phone before I've told him I want to play by card.

And then there are (some) Carribean takeaways. I dared to ask for the menu (with a heartfelt please) so I could see the prices. Was it really necessary to kiss your teeth at me. Really!?

TWH Everyone's a little bit racist So I guess it's OK.

But none of that means I hate the/an entire race of people. It just means that I hate each paticular circumstance where a reoccuring common denominator can be identified within each circumstance.

This rant isn't without it's exceptions, Yeungs (in Norbury) telephone manner is superb. Refil in Tooting, and the Carrbean restaurant in Croydon (I forget the name near Surrey Street Market) has superb service. I still hate calling India when dealing with the bank though, that ain't going to change.

kelsen

TailWindHome wrote:

Didn't think I was but apparently I am.

Just spent 10mins on the phone dealing with a call centre worker who initially tried to confirm my surname. His accent was so thick I thought the name he said was mine and said yes.

Turns out it was someone else. Was our call centre worker accepting this. No.

When I eventually came off the phone I let fly with geographically suspect derogatory terms which would have made Bernand Manning blush.

Ginger haired haggis eating tw.at?

rjsterry

Rick Chasey wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

You're a bad man who should be forced to live in Commuting General to think about what you've done.

Harsh!

I was thinking of a period of reflection reading the posts of Rick Chasey.

That's not punishment.

That's bliss mixed with ecstasy.

A drug-fuelled haze?

notsoblue

To be fair, I have the same problem with call-centers based in Newcastle... Though at least when they introduce themselves with names like "Jimmy Englishman" I know its probably their real name :P

veronese68

I once called Lloyds and got the Indian call centre, took 10 minutes to get what I wanted. The whole time I was waiting I got "while we are waiting for the system can I tell you about xyz?". To which the answer was "No, just tell me what I need to know." I wrote the information down wrong because I could barely understand the bloke. I rang again and got through to someone in the UK, including security questions I was on the phone for less than a minute.
What really irritates me is when I get cold called and they can't even pronounce my surname. It's only 4 letters and not complicated.

clarkey cat

While we're on the subject - there is one race I really can't stand.



The Vuelta... all that dodgy TV coverage.

gabriel959

Are you sure this call center wasn't in Scotland? Even I, as a Spaniard, can take the mickey about their accent!

Regarding La Vuelta's TV coverage - it is biggest pile of poo ever known to man and can tell you I am not the first or second spanish person to complain. It looks like an early 90s european porn movie...

rick_chasey

clarkey cat wrote:

While we're on the subject - there is one race I really can't stand.



The Vuelta... all that dodgy TV coverage.

Agreeeed.

mudcow007

blimey...its like this forum is full of

i love the way call center agents are called always called like George or Rupert something "proper" English

that always makes me chuckle

rick_chasey

mudcow007 wrote:

blimey...its like this forum is full of

i love the way call center agents are called always called like George or Rupert something "proper" English

that always makes me chuckle

http://www.rathergood.com/alf

mudcow007

Rick Chasey wrote:

mudcow007 wrote:

blimey...its like this forum is full of

i love the way call center agents are called always called like George or Rupert something "proper" English

that always makes me chuckle

http://www.rathergood.com/alf

ha i love Rathergood have you heard Cocktopede

clarkey cat

I once heard 2 old Arab boys cracking a racist joke on a bus. It went like this:

"How can you tell an Englishman?"

"I don't know how can you tell an Englishman?"

"Not very easily. They know everything."


I thought it was quite funny. Still tw@tted them though. Racist tw@ts.

DonDaddyD

I don't get it... I mean I get the joke, I don't get the reference to the stereotype/generalisation that would make it (i) racist or (ii) funny?

*Dusty*

I'm not racist, I hate everyone. Doesn't really matter where they're from.

kelsen

Veronese68 wrote:

I once called Lloyds and got the Indian call centre, took 10 minutes to get what I wanted. The whole time I was waiting I got "while we are waiting for the system can I tell you about xyz?". To which the answer was "No, just tell me what I need to know." I wrote the information down wrong because I could barely understand the bloke. I rang again and got through to someone in the UK, including security questions I was on the phone for less than a minute.
What really irritates me is when I get cold called and they can't even pronounce my surname. It's only 4 letters and not complicated.

I hate the recordings that go "We are experiencing high volumes of calls at the moment. Please stay on the line and someone will answer your call as soon as possible"

No you're not, it's 8am on a Saturday morning. How fcuking busy can it be?!

W1

notsoblue wrote:

To be fair, I have the same problem with call-centers based in Newcastle... Though at least when they introduce themselves with names like "Jimmy Englishman" I know its probably their real name :P

I do cringe at the third or fourth time of saying "I'm sorry, could you just say that again?" to someone from England, who is speaking to me in English. It just gets to a stage whereby a "bad line" and hanging up is the only escape.

rick_chasey

I find Scottish operators tougher than Indian.

The problem I have is the way they jumble up vowels.

Some scottish guy will be talking about getting some "fash and chaps" and others "Fesh 'n' cheps", yet they both sound Scottish.

CONFUSION.

veronese68

kelsen wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

I once called Lloyds and got the Indian call centre, took 10 minutes to get what I wanted. The whole time I was waiting I got "while we are waiting for the system can I tell you about xyz?". To which the answer was "No, just tell me what I need to know." I wrote the information down wrong because I could barely understand the bloke. I rang again and got through to someone in the UK, including security questions I was on the phone for less than a minute.
What really irritates me is when I get cold called and they can't even pronounce my surname. It's only 4 letters and not complicated.

I hate the recordings that go "We are experiencing high volumes of calls at the moment. Please stay on the line and someone will answer your call as soon as possible"

No you're not, it's 8am on a Saturday morning. How fcuking busy can it be?!

That's call centre speak for "we're too tight to employ enough staff to answer the phones."

clarkey cat

I don't get it... I mean I get the joke, I don't get the reference to the stereotype/generalisation that would make it (i) racist or (ii) funny?

the generalisation being that Englishmen are know-it-alls that refuse to be told anything.
the joke being the double-meaning of the word 'tell': meaning, in the 'pull' to reveal, and in the 'reveal' to inform. Your expectations were raised by the one meaning of 'tell' - and then hilariously confounded with the other meaning.

Yes, I will go all Stewart Lee on your ass.

greg66_tri_v2.0

DonDaddyD wrote:

culturally Chinese people tend to do things 3times faster than Brits

I think not.

Ring, ring. Ring, ring.
"Hello? I'd like to order a delivery please.
"OK. Where to"
"To 22 Alison Avenue. I'd like-"
"Tweeeenty -twoooo {pause}"
"Yes. 22 Alison Avenue"
"How you spell that?"
"A-l-i-s-o-n. Like the name. {pause} I'd like-"
"A {pause} L {long pause}"
"Yes. A-l-i-s-o-n. Alison."
"A {pause} L {pause}"
{Sigh}
{Loud voice}: "Yes. 22. Al-lis-son Avenue. A"
"A"
"L"
"L"
"I"
"I"
"S"
"S"
"O"
"O"
"N"
"N"
"That's right. Alison Avenue".
"OK. Arison Avenue. What number?"
{Oh, FFS}
"22".
"Tweeenty twwoooo. {Pause} Phone number?"
{Oh FFS}
"02074342323"
"0 {Pause} 2 {Pause} 4"
"No, no. 020"
"0. 2. 0."
"74"
"7. 4."
"34"
"3. 4."
"23"
"2. 3."
"23" {cross fingers that repetition doesn't create confusion}
"2. 3."
"Yes. "
"OK. What you want?"

It usually gets a lot faster from then onwards. I wonder whether they have me on speaker phone and are just taking the p!ss, seeing if I will hang up in frustration.

daviesee

Rick Chasey wrote:

I find Scottish operators tougher than Indian.

The problem I have is the way they jumble up vowels.

Some scottish guy will be talking about getting some "fash and chaps" and others "Fesh 'n' cheps", yet they both sound Scottish.

CONFUSION.

I have the same problem.
Geordies, Yorkshiremen, Mancs, Scousers, Brummies, Essex, Somerset................they all sound English and yet......
I can understand them all. Must be multilingual

Edit:- Rick, that's because one is from Aberdeen and the other from Dundee. Face it, it's because we all come from different regions with different accents. Innit.

DonDaddyD

Thing is, and I've said this, if you tell them to slow down or repeat themselves because you can't understand their accent and you do it in a joking manner explaining your from <<insert place>> they laugh and tend to be more understanding than the Asian person a whole Country away who will, in my experience, take offence and claim it's your fault for not being able to understand English.

I f*cking hate Lloyds TSB. Got aroused from the sheer pleasure of finally being able to close that account.

mkirby

last time i rang lloyds i got the glasgow lot. Couldn't understand them.

When i was doing my masters and interviewing scottish fisherman i got as far as dundee and couldn't understand a bloody word. Had to drag a native with me as a translator for the rest of the summer.

I have no problem with any european accents just weegies it seems.

rick_chasey

daviesee wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

I find Scottish operators tougher than Indian.

The problem I have is the way they jumble up vowels.

Some scottish guy will be talking about getting some "fash and chaps" and others "Fesh 'n' cheps", yet they both sound Scottish.

CONFUSION.

I have the same problem.
Geordies, Yorkshiremen, Mancs, Scousers, Brummies, Essex, Somerset................they all sound English and yet......
I can understand them all. Must be multilingual

Edit:- Rick, that's because one is from Aberdeen and the other from Dundee. Face it, it's because we all come from different regions with different accents. Innit.

I know I know :P

My brain can't find the pattern of vowels in the short time it takes to have the conversation though. With those other accents I'm familiar. Let's face it, most of them are also less extreme.

merkin

is that your phone number greg?

kelsen

merkin wrote:

is that your phone number greg?

and address?

You might find a lot of takeaways turning up at your doorstep tonight!